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Monday, 12 September 2011

Venomous desert and pit vipers

HORNED DESERT VIPER-Cerastes cerastes

A snake of shifting sands that moves by “side winding”.

DESCRIPTION:Average length is about 60cm . The colour of the snake generally matches the sand surface in the region an individual occurs, varying between pink and yellow, with regular blotching on the back and heavily keeled scales. The most remarkable features are the long horns over the eye that allow sand to accumulate while keeping the eye velar of cover as the snake waits in ambush.

DISTRIBUTION:Through much of North Africa and well into the Sahara desert example,morocco desert,algerian desert to egypt desert to the Middle East of saudi arabia desert, oman desert and many other deserts found in the world .

HABITAT:desert horned snakes avoids the extremes of desert temperatures by burying itself along the length of its body with rhythmic muscle contractions, then waits for suitable prey to pass by.

FOOD:Venomous, feeding on desert rodents and lizards.

BREEDING:Lays a clutch of eggs in disused burrow or under stones.

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Chordata

Subphylum:Vertebrata

Class: Reptilia

Order:Squamata

Suborder:Serpentes

Family: Viperidae

Subfamily:Viperinae

Genus:Cerastes

MALAYAN PIT VIPER-Enhydris plumbea

Locally known as the “ax snake” because a bite can have the same result as a blow from an axe – the loss of a limb.

DESCRIPTION:Average lengths is 80-90cm.

Pattern with angular markings of dark brown, edged with black on a reddish-brown background.

DISTRIBUTION:Indo-China, Malaya,thailand, Sumatra and Broneo.

HABITAT:Forests and oil plam plantations where it is particularly common. A perfectly camouflaged “sit and wait” hunter that lies motionless even when approached. Very dangerous to “rubber tappers” if they work without shoes.

FOOD:Rodents, frogs and reptiles.

BREEDING:After laying 13 to 30 eggs, the female coils around them until they hatch about 40 days later. It is unusual for vipers to show maternal care like this.

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Chordata

Subphylum:Vertebrata

Class:Reptilia

Order:Squamata

Suborder:Serpentes

Family:Viperidae

Subfamily:Crotalinae

Genus:Calloselasma

Species:C. rhodostoma

Facts and precautions to know about Malayan viper

Serious Malayan pit viper venom poisoning is very rare and death in human beings is highly unheard off.When bitten by Malayan viper the risk that can occur are shock, hemorrhagic syndrome, local necrosis. Local necrosis is a cause of prolonged morbidity.Bacterial infection following necrosis may spread to bones and joints leading to loss of a digit or limb, or crippling deformity due to the gangrene of the affected areas.Tetanus secondary to post necrotic infection is a cause of death.

The patient should be reassured and kept warm Gently clean the site of the bite but do not attempt to cut the wound and suck out the venom. This will introduce infection.Take the patient to the nearest hospital as quickly as possible Immobilize the patient immediately after the bite and also during transit to the hospital. The bitten limb in particular should be kept still and below the level of the heart If the snake has been killed, bring it together to hospital for identification.

ADDER-Vipera berus

The adder has the greatest terrestrial range of any snake in the world.

DESCRIPTION:Usually up to 65cm but occasionally up to 90cm . The ground colour is most commonly grey but may be reddish brown, yellow, olive or greenish. It is most easily distinguished by the dark zigzag pattern running down the back and by the dark V or X shaped mark on the head.

DISTRIBUTION:Most to Europe (absent from Ireland, southern Spain, Italy and the southern Balkans) up to the Arctic Circle, east to the northern Pacific coast of China,japan.

HABITAT:Very varied, moors woodland, marshy meadows; it is even a capable swimmer.

FOOD:Venomous. It eats small mammals and lizards.

BREEDING:Live-bearing; litters vary between 4-12 according to the size of the female.